Field of the Invention
This invention relates to separator systems and more particularly to an improved separator system for organizing items such as a folded fabric, wearing apparel, documents or other materials.
Description of the Related Art
Various types of separators and separator systems have been devised in the past for sorting various types of items. These separators and separator systems vary in complexity from very simple to very complex separators and separator systems. Furthermore, these separators and separator systems vary quite diversely in accordance with the type, size and shape of the items separated.
Another important aspect of separators and separator systems is the ability to organize the separated items. Separators and separator systems must be able to quickly organize the items and permit rapid selection and recovery of a selected item contained within the separator system.
The following United States patents and published patent applications represent various solutions proposed by the prior art for providing a simple, inexpensive and efficient separator system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,982 to K. Schreyer discloses a correspondence (or the like) filing folders and filing cabinet drawer dividers, hereinafter generally referred to as “separators” made of relatively thin and inexpensive sheet material and are novelty constructed and configured to prevent them from “slumping” when installed in a compartmented filing system; the folders/dividers being of improved functioning and increased life characteristics. An improved (optionally employed) file content “follower” contributes to an overall improved filing system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,217 to L. Green discloses a partitioned structure comprising an open topped container and a plurality of dividers having sides positioned within the container. The container has horizontal interior side channels on either side thereof so that each divider having at least one tab disposed on each side thereof slides within one of the horizontal channels and permits movement of the divider relative to the container. Each divider has a projection extending above its top on which information is placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,196 to D. Hyun discloses a consumer product coupon storage device comprising a coupon storage bin and a plurality of dividers adapted to fit in the bin to separate the space in the bin into individual compartments. Each divider has first and second visible fields. A generic product descriptor is printed in the first field of each divider. A brand-name product advertisement is printed in the second field of each divider. The brand-name product belongs to the class of the generic product, the descriptor which is printed on the same divider as, or a divider near, the advertisement of said brand-name product. In use, the coupons are placed in the compartments sorted by generic product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,371 to J. O'Neill discloses a shipping and display carton including an outer container and an inner partition structure. The partition structure is constructed from a single cut and scored blank of corrugated paperboard that is folded and erected to form a modified Z-type divider with three loading cells. The front wall of the outer container includes a perforated cut-out that is removed for display purposes, and each divider panel of the partition structure includes a cut-out that is compatible in size and shape with the cut-out in the front wall of the outer container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,457 to D. Felsenthal discloses collapsible shelving that can be tautly suspended by a single person within an erected wardrobe frame. The shelving is comprised of eight hooks that engage top and bottom poles of the wardrobe frame, four cords that engage the hooks at each end, a plurality of staples attached to each of the cords, and a plurality of shelves that rest on the staples horizontally and in parallel with each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,822 to W. Wang discloses a clothes cabinet adapted for mounting in a wardrobe. The clothes cabinet includes a plurality of individual boxes, and at least one coupling wire rod adapted to secure the individual boxes in a stack. The individual boxes each have two vertical side panels, a horizontal bottom panel. A horizontal top panel and a plurality of upper peripheral barrels and lower peripheral barrels horizontally aligned along top and bottom sides of the respective two vertical side panels. The at least one coupling wire rod each has a curved middle section attached to the horizontal top panel of one individual box at a bottom side, and two end rod sections respectively perpendicularly extended from two distal ends of the curved middle section and inserted into the lower peripheral barrels of one of the individual boxes and the upper peripheral barrels of a second of the individual boxes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,669 to D. Barker discloses wheeled luggage having a telescopically expandable body. The luggage body may be manually adjusted from a normally sized carry-on configuration during transit, to a vertically enlarged configuration once the final destination, such as a hotel room, is reached. The body further includes a plurality of interior horizontally disposed, vertically stacked shelves connected in accordion fashion to an internal liner so as to automatically expand from a compact configuration to an expanded configuration when the main body is telescopically expanded thereby providing a series of vertically spaced shelves which provide convenient access to the contents. A garment folding apparatus may be incorporated with the luggage to provide a tool that assists the user in quickly folding clothing to dimensions compatible with storage spaced within the luggage.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,779,976 to J. Mangano discloses an item of luggage that has foldable shelves and collapsible drawers. The drawers and shelves may be folded relatively flat and stored in the main housing of the luggage when not in use. The luggage may have a cover support to hold the cover of the luggage open at various angles and under various loads when the cover is open.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,477 to D. Schinzing discloses a storage unit for placement between upright studs of a wall. The unit may be unitary or be made into two telescoping box portions. Storage shelves are removably positioned in the interior area of the unit. For the two-piece unit, the storage shelves are made of two half shelves, with each half shelf having a terminal loop portion through which the other half shelf slides.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,714,418 to Kumar et al. discloses a clothing folding system comprising: one or more folding guides comprising two or more sections of substantially rigid material. A flexible web is disposed between any two of the two or more sections of substantially rigid material enabling the folding guide to be folded along the length of the flexible web. The one or more folding guides are sized so as to enable each folding guide to be used to place the folding guide in contact with an article of clothing, folding the article of clothing in a folding pattern defined by folding each flexible web of the folding guide. The folding guide remains folded within the article of clothing: and wherein the folding of multiple articles of clothing using the folding guides presents a plurality of articles of clothing that are substantially consistent in shape and size in their folded state. Such folded articles of clothing are suitable to be stored in a sustainable organized arrangement. A specific structure for the folding guide is provided as well as a related folding method for clothing, using the folding guide. A related method is provided for folding articles of clothing. The system may include a computer implemented system to enable a user to provide as input one or more parameters for articles of clothing and available storage spaces. The system generates a recommended set of folding guide requirements to meet the user's input parameters.
U.S. Patent publication US2008/0143222 to L. Greiner discloses a storage organizer for vanity items including a cabinet in which an interior space is formed by a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposing the first sidewall, a top wall extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, a bottom wall opposing the top wall and extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, and a back wall extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall and from the top wall to the bottom wall. A door, for the interior space, extends between the top wall and the bottom wall and from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, opposite the back wall when in a closed to the bottom wall by a swivel joint. The swivel joint allows the cabinet to rotate 360 degrees about the base. A tri-fold mirror is provided by two additional doors provided on the sides of the organizer that may be rotated towards the front of the organizer. The exterior surfaces of the additional doors have mirrors disposed on their front surfaces.
U.S. Patent publication US 2010/0276241 to R. Malone discloses a hanging shelf system and travel organizer specifically adapted for use in combination with a suitcase wherein the shelf system is adapted to collapse to a size suitable for removable insertion within the suitcase. The shelf system is configurable between a vertically expanded configuration when deployed wherein a plurality of shelves and walls form storage compartments for receiving clothing and other travel items, and a vertically compact, stowed configuration wherein the travel shelf apparatus is compactly configured for insertion into a suitcase for travel. When the user reaches his/her destination the travel organizer may be removed from the suitcase and hung in a closet in the vertically expanded configuration with spaced shelves thereby providing the traveler with ready access to the packed articles while eliminating the need to unpack and repack.
U.S. Design Pat. D501,341 to Cassidy et al. illustrates a design for a stackable clothing divider having finger grip tabs.
U.S. Design Pat. D502,031 to Cassidy et al. illustrates a design for stackable clothing divider.
U.S. Design Pat. D505,809 to Cassidy et al. illustrates a design for stackable clothing divider having wide pulling tabs.
Although the foregoing United States patents and published patent application have contributed to the prior art, there still exits a need for a simple, low cost and efficient system to separate items.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a separator for separating items which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention to provide a separator for separating items that comprises a plurality of identical separators specifically adapted to be stacked to form a separator system.
Another object of the present invention to provide a separator for separating items that is specifically adapted to flat items.
Another object of the present invention to provide a separator for separating items that is specifically adapted to stack a plurality of flat items.
Another object of the present invention to provide a separator for separating items that is specifically adapted to fabric items such as wearing apparel, documents or other materials.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.